Covered shipping and display box



.May 25,1943. L. J. cm. I 1 2,319,919

COVERED SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX 'Filed Dec. 19, 1940 V 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. Zr/v/v J, (2mm.

COVERED S'HIPP'INGVAND DISPLAY BOX f Filed Dec. 19,1940 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .INVEN'ITOR. zr/v/v J CA/YKK.

different color liner.

Patented May 25, 1943 COVERED SHIPPING AND DISPLAY BOX Lynn 1. Clark, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indiana Ind., a corporation Application December 19, 1940, Serial No. 370,845

6 Claims. (01. 296-44) This invention relates to a covered box structure suitable for a gift box or for a packing or shipping box. It is illustrated as formed from corrugated board, the same including two liners and an intermediate corrugated layer as is well understood in the art of corrugated board manufacture, and preferably, but not necessarily, one of the liners may be of colored character.

In the folding box and container art, it now is conventional to fabricate blanks and ship them flat and non-erected for subsequent erection when merchandise is to be packed or displayed therein.

The present invention has for its primary object the production of a box which is of covered character and which may be erected readily by merely manipulating the several portions of the box forming material so that when erected and packed, the box may be closed and held closed without the requirement of utilizing stitching,

stapling, tape or the like, in the erection of the, box or in the closing and retention of the box in closed relation.

The present invention is so arranged that a relatively tight closure formation is obtained.

1 or winter's cold, respectively.

The colored liner form of container provides a box wherein the exterior is of colored character providing a very pleasing and ornamental appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a covered box structure wherein the cover formation is detachably associated with the box proper with I the following attendant advantage. Regardless of color, the two-piece box permits a covered box to be formed with a minimum amount of waste board. A two-piece box is one wherein the cover and bottom structure are independent.

A two-piece box provides a two-tone color combination when the box bottom structure is made from board having one color liner and the box cover structure is made from board having a The two-piece box permits the box manufacturer to manufacture for all customers standard sizes of bottoms for boxes regardless of the color of the box cover. Suitably ricated for each customer and thus the two-piece box permits the box manufacturer to standardize on a minimum number of sizes of complete boxes, the customer variation requirements being satisfied by box cover structure variation only.

Whenever desired, and either the customer or the box manufacturer may provide in the cover structure a substantially median score or crease substantially parallel to the front and back edges of the cover, the cover may be folded over upon itself and secured in folded and erected relation as hereinafter more fully pointed out and for box content and inside cover display purposes.

The invention is characterized by the formation of a box structure from corrugated board and in such a manner that the container automatically is locked in closed relation in packing and the container may be opened any number of times without damage and thus after it has served its initial pu p se. may be used by the householder as a receptacle for other purposes.

Furthermore, the container formation includes double side walls, thereby producing an exceptionally sturdy box, giving adequate protection for shipping purposes. The arrangement is such that this corrugated board box may be used in the competitive field now including cardboard and like boxes and with all the advantages inherent to the utilization of a corrugated board, as aforesaid, and with the further advantages inherent in the present invention, regardless of the board material utilized.

The chief feature of the invention resides in the formation of a covered box structure havin the advantages mentioned andwherein the several objects before mentioned are accomplished.

Other objects and features will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

Fig '3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 and of the.

two-piece embodiment of the invention, the cover being shown folded over upon itself and. in erected relation for content and interior cover legend display purposes.

legended and/or colored covers then may be fab- Fig. 4 is a plan view, parts being broken away,

construction.

showing the box proper forming blank of the two-piece box construction shown in Fig. 3.

Reference will be had first to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In said figures, I indicates the bottom panel of the box, H the back end thereof hinge-connected thereto as at l2, l3 the front end thereof hinge-connected to the bottom panel as at I! and IS the outside side wall hingeconnected at the bottom panel as at I5, to the bottom Ill. The side edges of wall l5 are relieved or recessed as at lid.

The front end includes a flap hinge-connected thereto as at it and the back end II includes the flap l3 hinge-connected thereto as at 23. The outside side wall l5 supports at its opposite edge by the hinge connection 2|, the inside side wall 22. The hinge connection 2| is of double crease character for reasons hereinafter assigned. So much of the box structure previously described is old in the box art except the side edge relief.

Having reference to these parts only, it will be understood that when the front and back are erected into parallelism and substantially transverse to the bottom panel l0 and the flaps l1 and i9 are bent angularly and toward each other at opposite ends of the said walls, that the side walls, l5 and 22 may be erected into parallelism and thus lie outside of these flaps. Then the inside side wall 22 may be turned downwardly and inwardly on the hinge crease 2| and thus lie inside, of the box and over the flaps l1 and I! to nest the same between the inside and outside side walls. This is old in the art.

The box bottom structure, therefore, then is in erected form because the overall length of the inside side wall is such that the side edges frictionally engage the inside faces of the front and back end walls to lock the box in erected relation. The length of the flaps l1 and i9 preferably is half the length of the side wall or side of the box but may be slightly less than that, in which event their adjacent confronting edges do'not abut. In either case, the two flaps are nested in the side wall arrangement, which is of double width or dual character.

Herein the numeral 23 indicates a top and the same is integral with the box proper in Figs. 1 and 2 form of the invention, being hinge-connected to the upper edge of the back end wall H as at 24. The top at the two opposite ends is provided with the flaps 25, the same being hinge-connected theretoby the creases 26. The free corners of this flap 25 are preferably rounded or relieved as at 25a. The other edge of the top has hinge-connected thereto by the crease 21, the front flap 28. This front flap 28 may be provided with one or more cutout portions 29, the same being provided as a finger cutout to facilitate operation of the cover in opening the box. Hinge-connected at 30 to each side edge of the front flap is an independent flap exten-.

sion or tongue 3|, one corner thereof being relieved .or curved as at 32 to facilitate tongue anchorage for cover locking purposes.

As shown in Fig. 1, after the box proper has been erected the top or cover flaps 25 are turned downwardly into parallelism and are arranged to lie within the box proper and to frictionally engage the inside side wall 22. The front flap 28 then lies outside of and forwardly of the front l3 and as the top or cover 23 is lowered, the

' of the cover forming blank of the two-piece box tongues 3| together with the front flap 28 are positioned forwardly and outwardly as shown 'in Fig. 1 and when the cover 23 is' down, the two tongues 3| are caused to be moved rearwardly into the pocket or'groove having the entrance edge |5a and formed between the inside side wall I! and the outside side wall 22 and front flap 28 then bears on front l3. Note flaps 25 lie within the box and the front 28 lies outside the box when the latter is closed.

In the cover lowering, the rounded corners 25a facilitate the entrance of the flanges 25 into the box. The relieved corner or curved edge 32 on tongue 3| facilitate the entrance of the tongue 3| into the aforesaid recess or groove in the side wall. To facilitate such insertion, the front edge of the outside wall I5 is relieved, notched, or

cut away as shown at |5a. Thus, the tip or,

corner 3|a of the tongue 3| may engage the flap H on the front wall iii in the initial rearward movement of the tongue 3| and the front flap 28 and thus be guided into the aforesaid recess. The tongues 3| frictionally lock into the recesses and thus a relatively tight and secure lock is obtained and the cover is held in locked position, and the contents are in sealed relation in the covered container.

To open the container, the finger or fingers are associated with the finger cutout portion 29 and the front cover flap 28 is pulled outwardly and upwardly, which pulls outwardly and upwardly the flaps 3| and from their seated relation. This frees the aforesaid and then the cover 23 may be elevated rearwardly.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if desired, the flaps 25 and the top 23 may be provided with a hinge crease 33 and 34, respectively. The purpose of the aforesaid is as follows: Wherever the contents are to be displayed, the cover, as shown in Fig. 1, may be further tilted upwardly until it stands in substantial alignment with the plane of the back end N. Then flaps 25 are aligned therewith. Then the forward and upper half of the cover 23 and flaps 25 are turned downwardly and rearwardly upon the hinge creases 34 and 33. These flaps extend outwardly and laterally above the box proper. The front flap 28 lies behind the back wall I I. The two tongues 3| on flaps 23 then would be reversed in relation and project forwardly instead of rearwardly of the front flap 23 and then be nested in the opposite end of the groove formed by the double side walls and opposite their previous nested position, and then frictionally engage said side walls. Thus, the cover,

. is divided and folded relation, is held in erected relation for the complete display of the box contents and will display any advertising matter that is printed on the inside of the cover. This is clean copy devoid of seals, stamps, etc. This also does not require content disturbance to lock the folded cover in display position.

When the material of the blank shown in Fig. 1 is of corrugated board character, all of the advantages of corrugated board material are obtained in a box of the character illustrated in elusive. and this preferred form of the invention only diifers broadly from the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in that the cover structure is separate from the box proper structure. In other words, a two-piece box is formed by two blanks instead of a one-piece box by one blank as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the box bottom structure and the cover structure of the two-piece box are detachably associated together by a relatively rigid interlocking construction.

The blank shown in Fig. 5 of the box bottom structure is a conventional blank old and well known in the art, except for the relief or notching I lie, which herein is shown provided in each opposite side edge of each outside side wall. Numerals of the 100 series similar to numerals utilized in Fig. 1 designate like or similar parts.

By way of explanation, it is added that whenever a box that is substantially square in area is required and such box is comparatively deep, the overall width of the blank shown in Fig. 5 plus the overall length of the blank shown in Fig. 4, such as represented'by Fig. 2, would require a piece of board from which there would be considerable waste. By forming the construction of two blanks, see Figs. 4 and 5, this waste is materially reduced. When two-tone or two-color effect is desired, the same may be obtained by utilizing a detachable cover structure with the box blank shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore as pointed out hereinbefore, this cover structure, the blank of which is shown in Fig. 4, may be suitably legended or imprinted substantially for each customer, whereas all customers could utilize the box proper shown in Fig. 5.

Reference now will be had more particularly to Fig. 4 wherein the cover blank is illustrated in detail. Numerals of the 100 series herein designate parts like or similar to those designated by the primary series of numerals in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 the cover portion of the box differs from that shown in Fig. 2 in that in the former I24 indicates a flap which is connected to the cover I22 by the hinge portion I24a. Each side edge of the flap I24 supports a flap or tongue I40 hinge-connected to the portion I24 as at I. This flap I24 and the tongues I40 constitute the anchorage or connection to the box structure and, as previously set forth, to facilitate reception of the cover flap tongue I40, the latter may be rounded as at I4IIa at the comers and the box outside side walls may, if desired, be notched or relieved as at I lia. see Figs. 3 and 5.

Another difl'erence in the present form of the invention is that the front flap I28 is shown with a pair of tongues at each side edge. One of these tongues, and herein the end one, see Fig. 4, is indicated by the numeral I3I and the free or outer corner thereof is rounded or curved as at I32. This tongue isconnected to portion I28 by the hinge I30. The width of this tongue I3I is less than the width of the flap I28, thereby diflering from the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2. Extending from the flap I28 is another tongue I50, the free comers of which may be rounded as at Ilfia, if desired, and this tongue is hinge-connected as at I5I to the side edge of the flap I28.

It will be obvious that the box blank shown in Fig. 4 may be erected as a unit and then the flaps I24 and I28 may be bent into parallelism and the flaps I25 also may be bent into parallelism, all being directed similarly with reference to the plane of the cover I23. When this has been performed, the flap I24 is placed adjacent the rear wall and the two tongues I40 are inserted in the grooves, sockets or recesses formed in the dual side walls adjacent the rear wall.

7 Thus, the cover is detachably locked to the box. Then the front flap I28 with its extensions or tongues I3I and I are bent downwardly and first, the tongues I50 and then the tongues I3I enter the recesses, sockets or grooves formed by the dual side walls and at the forward edges thereof. When the tongues are fully seated the front cover flap I28 bears against the front wall H3 of the box and the box is completely closed, it being, of course, understood that in the lowering movement of the cover, the two flaps I25 nest within the box and frictionally engage the inside side walls thereof.

To open the box, the fingers are inserted at the cutout portion, or portions, I29-see Fig. 4-and the cover elevated after the locking tongues have been freed from the grooves, recesses or sockets. The contents then may be removed.

When it is desired to display the contents, the flaps I28 are caused to lie in the plane of the cover and then the cover and flaps may be folded medianly at I34 and I33 respectively. These flaps I25 now project laterally as wings outwardly from the box, see Fig. 3, and above the box. The nonanchoring front tongues III and ISO then are caused to lie adjacent the anchoring tongues I40 by being nested therewith in the side wall grooves and thus the cover is maintained in erected and display formation with the inside of the cover exposed.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description. the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in charaoter.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art. all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a covered box including a cover. a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom, each side wall being of double thickness and the other walls having inwardly directed flaps nested in the dual thickness side walls, the combination of a cover front flap and adapted to lie forwardly of the box'front wall and integral with the cover, and tongue means at each side edge of the cover front flap and arranged for nesting in the dual side wall adjacent thereto. the cover being detachably associated with the rear wall and including side flaps, nestable inside the box adjacent the inside side walls. and parallei, laterally directed tongues seatable in the dual walls for detachable connection of the cover.

2. In a covered box including a cover, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom, each side wall being of double thickness and forming recesses at the ends and the other walls having inwardly directed flaps nested in the means thereon, when the cover is folded and erected, being positioned outside the box with the tongue means nesting in the opposite ends of the dual side walls from those ends previously receiving said tongue means when the cover is closed.

3. In a covered box including a cover, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom, each side wall being of double thickness and forming recesses at the ends and the other walls having inwardly directed naps nested in the dual thickness side walls, the combination of a cover front flap and adapted to lie forwardly of the box front wall and integral with the cover, and tongue means at each side edge of the cover front flap for nesting in the dual side wall adjacent thereto, the cover being detachably associated with the rear wall, the cover front flap and I tongue means thereon, when the cover is folded and erected, being positioned outside the box with the tongue means nested in the opposite? ends of the dual side walls from those ends previ-% ously receiving said tongue means when the; cover is closed, said cover including parallel and laterally directed tongues also seatable in the rear ends of the dual walls for detachable connection of the cover.

4. In a covered box including a cover, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom, each side wall beingof double thickness and the other walls having inwardly [directed flaps nested in the dual thickness side gwall, the combination of a cover front flap anda apted to lie forwardly of the box front wall an integral with the cover, and tongue means at each side edge of the cover front flap and arranged for nesting in the dual side wall adjacent thereto, the cover being detachably associated with the box and including other tongue means at the rear end of the cover and extending laterally thereof, the tongue means being receivable in recesses formed at the four side corners of the box by the dual side walls thereof.

5. In a covered box including a cover, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom, each side wall being of double thickness and the other wall having inwardly directed naps nested in the dual thickness side walls, the combination of a cover front flap and adapted to lie forwardly of the box front wall and integral with the cover, and tongue means at each side edge of the cover front flap and arranged for nesting in the dual side wall adjacent thereto, the cover being detachably associated with the box and including other tongue mean at the rear end of the cover and extending laterally thereof, the tongue means being receivable in recesses formed at the four side corners of the box by the dual side walls thereof, the cover being arranged to medianly fold upon itself, either flap with included tongue means being arranged to seat outside the" box when the cover is folded upon itself for maintenance of the cover in erected relation for content and inside cover display purposes.

6. In a covered box including a cover, a bottom, a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls, all walls being integral at the lower end with the bottom. each side wall being of double thickness and the other wall having inwardly directed flaps nested in the dual thickness side walls, the combination of a cover front flap and adapted to lie forwardly of the box front wall and integral with the cover, and tongue means at each side edge of the cover front flap and arranged for nesting in the dual side wall adjacent thereto, the cover being detachably associated with the box and including other tongue means at the rear end of the cover and extending laterally thereof, the tongue means being receivable in recesses formed at the four side corners of the box by the dual side walls-thereof, the cover being arranged to medianly fold upon itself, either flap with included tongue means being arranged to seat outside the box when the cover is folded upon itself for maintenance of the cover in erected relation for content and inside cover display purposes, the intermediate sides of the cover including flaps normally positionabl within the box when the cover is closed and arranged to fold medianly in alignment with the cover fold for projection laterally of the box and oppositely of each other when the cover is in erected position for content display purposes.

LYNN J. CLARK. 

